Panthers vs. Bears Free Pick, NFL Free Picks, NFL Predictions 10/6/24
- J.A. Cavalier
- Oct 4, 2024
- 3 min read
Carolina vs. Chicago (CHI -4, 40.5)
NFL ODDS, NFL PREDICTIONS, NFL PREVIEWS
Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears | Sunday, October 6th, 2024
The Andy Dalton comeback might have hit a minor bump in the road, but the Carolina Panthers' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals by no means signifies the end. Dalton himself passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, and the team managed to put up 24 points, which could have been more had they converted on a fourth-down try at the goal line.
The Carolina Panthers are finally seeing the improvements they expected to see from their 2024 offseason—they are just happening with a different quarterback under center. The offensive line is protecting well, Diontae Johnson is playing like the stud that he is, Xavier Leggette has shown signs of a mini-breakout, and Chuba Hubbard is running like a top-tier running back. The result is 60 points scored over their last two games, which wouldn’t have been in their wildest dreams based on how the first two weeks went (13 points).
They lost to the Bengals because the defense gave up 34 points, but it is harsh to be too critical there, as the Bengals do appear to have re-emerged as a league-leading offense. Consequently, the Panthers are back in with a great shot in Week Five, going up against a Chicago Bears team that is not clicking yet. Their number one overall pick, Caleb Williams, has completed just 61.7% of his passes for 787 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions. He is still noticeably having communication and chemistry issues with his wide receivers, which means Carolina might be catching this team at the right time.
The strong point of the Chicago Bears team this year has to be their defense, which is a top-10 unit based on yards and points conceded, and they have registered the fourth-most interceptions with five. The Bears are also generating pressure on 29% of dropbacks, which is the fifth-highest in the league, so this is a very good test for the new-look Carolina offensive line that has been holding up well so far. By contrast, the Bengals, who Carolina just played, are second-worst in the NFL on this front, so this defensive unit is a new challenge for Dalton, unlike anything he has faced across his first two starts so far.
Coincidentally, the one team that is generating even less pressure than the Cincinnati Bengals is the Carolina Panthers, at just 9.6%. This is great news for Bears fans who are hoping to see signs of improvement from their young quarterback. Is this the game where he can break out and build some confidence for the rest of the season?
J.A. Cavalier swept his NFL Triple Crown in week 4 with The Bears, Colts and the Jaguars and we smashed 3 two team parlays. He likes the card this week even more. 6-0 NFL Guarantee. 3 straight, 3 parlays. One Week NFL $99 must go 6-0 or entire NFL season free. Straight through Super Bowl
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J.A. CAVALIER PICK
Bears TT Over 23.5
